TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Deputy State Secretary Minister Juri Ardiantoro has responded to protests regarding the special treatment given to President Prabowo Subianto's cat, Bobby Kertanegara. This preferential treatment occurred when Bobby attended the Cat Lovers Social Day 2025 event on July 12, 2025.
According to Juri, Bobby is considered part of President Prabowo's property and is therefore entitled to receive state facilities.
"It's not just the President, but the President's property is also the responsibility of the state to be maintained," Juri said when met at the Parliament Complex, Jakarta, on Thursday, July 17, 2025.
The former Chair of the General Elections Commission (KPU) then provided examples of other presidential properties, such as Prabowo's house, which also receives special security. He then posed a rhetorical question:
"Now I want to ask, who does Bobby belong to? Can the state guard him? Of course, it can. Why should there be a protest?" Juri said.
Public Reaction and Expert Criticism
A video circulating on social media shows Bobby Kertanegara arriving at the Cat Lovers Social Day 2025 event, escorted by several police officers walking on a blue carpet.
The X account @MurtadhaOne1 uploaded the video on July 15, 2025, with a critical caption that translated to: "Pathetic. Getting paid with the sweat of the people just to escort a cat?"
The video sparked a debate, sparking both support and opposition among netizens. Some defended the special treatment, arguing it was better to guard Bobby Kertanegara than "useless officials." However, others felt Bobby's treatment was excessive.
Made Supriatma, a researcher at the Institute of Southeast Asian Studies Yusof Ishak Institute, characterized the special treatment of Bobby as "excessive" due to its use of public funds.
"The treatment of his cat is totally unjustified. The cat is not the mother of the nation," Made Supriatma told Tempo on Wednesday, July 16, 2025.
He believes many people would be offended if a cat received more preferential treatment than them. "Unless we want to treat cats as citizens. If that happens, we are truly in a personal cult system, where the president's cat and the president are treated the same way," he remarked.
Made further noted that no pets of other state leaders receive such special treatment. He cited Larry the Cat, the British Prime Minister's office cat, and the dogs of U.S. presidents, none of whom receive an honor equivalent to that of state officials.
Eka Yudha Saputra contributed to this article.
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